(Newser)
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Newt Gingrich has an interesting idea for resolving political conflicts: Jail Democrats. That was the former House speaker's surprising recommendation in last night's GOP debate. The suggestion came up as he expressed sympathy for the Occupy Wall Street movement, saying protesters have every right to be angry. But they should direct their ire at government officials, not Wall Street fat cats, he insisted. In fact, he added, top Democrats Rep. Barney Frank and former Sen. Chris Dodd, co-authors of financial reform legislation, should be jailed. "If you want to put people in jail, you ought to start with Barney Frank and Chris Dodd. And let’s look at the politicians who profited from the environment and the politicians who put this country in trouble," said Gingrich, who also urged "firing" Ben Bernanke and Timothy Geithner.

Frank later slammed the assignment of guilt by the “self-styled intellectual leader of the free world," reports Talking Points Memo. “This notion we caused the problem that started while they were in charge, even by Gingrich’s standards, is very odd," Frank said. Gingrich also divided Wall Street protesters into two camps: The clean, responsible Tea Party types, and left-wing "agitators," notes Fox News. The lefties "would be happy to show up next week on any other topic," he complained, while the other group consists of "sincere middle-class people who frankly are very close to the Tea Party people and actually care." The differences are obvious, he added: "The people who are decent, responsible citizens pick up after themselves. The people who are just out there as activists trash the place."